J.S. Bach’s Life and Travels in Germany

It is rather curious that one of the greatest composers in history, J.S. Bach, never traveled beyond the borders of his own country. Yet, he absorbed musical styles from all over Europe. Even his predecessors stayed put in the same area—Thuringia and Saxony—for generations. Ultimately, Bach’s music provides a snapshot of the leading musical ideas of his time, combined with his mastery of compositional technique.

The furthest a young J.S. Bach traveled was to Lübeck — to hear the legendary organist Buxtehude perform. It is rather curious that a musical family such as the Bachs never traveled far and remained incurious about the world beyond their borders.

However, Thuringia and Saxony were culturally rich milieus with plenty of work for the Bach family — who were teachers, composers, musicians, instrument makers, and inspectors. In short, the Bach family, and especially J.S. Bach, were happy to have the world come to them and mix with it in the comfort of their own space.

However, not traveling beyond Germany did not hamper J.S. Bach from learning about other countries’ composers and musical styles. Foreign composers came to work at the courts where he was employed.

J.S. Bach lived in a time when greatness and originality walked hand in hand with the mastery of technique. The foreign musicians at the courts where he worked exposed him to their countries’ musical ideas, styles, and techniques. A cross-pollination of ideas took place and Bach was eager to absorb these influences.

Early Childhood and Formative Years, 1685 to ca. 1703

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was born into a musical family in Eisenach. He received his first musical lessons from his father Johann Ambrosius, a town and court musician. His mother, Elizabeth Bach, passed away in May 1694 and his father the following year. He was an orphan at ten and went to live with his brother Johann Christoph, 14 years his senior, in Ohrdruf.

Under his older brother’s guidance, he learned to play the organ. The young J.S. Bach did well at school (despite various absences) and in 1700, he secured a place in a select choir at the school at Michaeliskirche, Lüneburg. He was also a pupil of the renowned organist Georg Böhm, who may have influenced Bach’s compositions. Böhm was renowned for his treatment of chorale melodies in his organ partitas, and Bach readily absorbed this.

Bach’s voice might have broken shortly after joining the choir, but this did not stop him from making himself useful as the journeyman of Böhm. It is most likely that Bach also had access to and studied at the school library which had an up-to-date collection of church music.

In the late summer of 1702, he returned to Thuringia as a reasonably proficient organist. His exposure to church music at Lüneburg and Ohdurf likely turned him away from the secular string-playing tradition of his family. He devoted himself (though not exclusively) to composing and performing keyboard and sacred music.

Always a hard worker with a thirst for knowledge, Bach was employed as a musician in the orchestra at the court of Johann Ernst, Duke of Weimar around 1703. But this was a short stopover for the young master who had his eye on the position of organist at the Neue Kirche (New Church, known today as the Bach Church) in Arnstadt. When the new organ was built and installed, an 18-year-old Bach helped to test it. In August 1703 he was appointed as the organist.

Not many of Bach’s early compositions are known to us. The chorale prelude: Herr Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht, BWV 750 was probably composed by Bach between 1700 and 1703. Attribution to Bach is considered doubtful according to Bach Digital. However, the work is included in the catalog of Bach works until further research can corroborate or disprove the composition as a Bach original.

Arnstadt and Mühlhausen, 1703-1708

Bach lived in Arnstadt for four years between 1703 and 1707. It was a period filled with happy times but also challenging authority. Bach fell in love with his first wife, Maria Barbara in 1707. They had seven children and two of their sons, Wilhelm Friedmann and Carl Phillipp Emmanuel became major composers representing the next generation.

Arnstadt offered Bach his first formal appointment as a church organist at the young age of 18. Unfortunately, it was not a good philosophical match for the young musician. The congregation complained about his elaborate playing and compositions and felt the melody got lost in his intricate style. Bach felt his creativity was unappreciated and he was stagnating as a musician.

The period was also not without its controversies: Bach once rehearsed with an “unknown maiden” at the organ gallery and the Arnstadt authorities felt that he was neglecting his duties with the choir pupils. Bach found the rehearsals with the choir pupils draining and unpleasant and he got into trouble with the church council when he called a choir pupil a “fidgety bassoon” (Zippelfagotisten). The pupil responded with a fist and this resulted in a legendary fistfight.

Bach got into trouble with the church council again when he took a leave of absence to visit Buxtehude in Lübeck, some 300 miles (400 kilometers) north of Arnstadt. Instead of a few weeks leave, Bach spent some three months with the legendary Dietrich Buxtehude during 1705/6. Bach learned a lot and borrowed heavily from his master. Many parallels can be heard between Buxtehude’s Passacaglia (BuxWV 161) and J.S. Bach’s Passacaglia (BWV 582).

Bach was severely reprimanded by his employers upon his return, however, Bach’s time in Arnstadt is seen as crucial in shaping his musical style; for the first time, the northern and southern German organ traditions blended into a singular style.

Johann Sebastian and Maria Barbara got married on October 17, 1707, in Dornheim almost two miles (three kilometers) from Arnstadt in the Saint Bartholomew Church. Bach’s Quidlibet, BWV 524 was possibly composed and performed as part of the wedding celebration. It showcases his playful side with ingenious counterpoints woven throughout the musical text. Keen listeners will pick up on a melody (at 10:24) used later in his Goldberg Variations (Variation 30). The whimsical text probably refers to members of the extended Bach family.

Mühlhausen

In June 1707, Bach secured a position as organist at the Blasiuskirche in Mühlhausen. However, a few months before Bach arrived in the town, a quarter burned down in a devastating fire. He was involved in the organ’s rebuilding and the enlarging of the choir library by copying and depositing music. His year in Mühlhausen is renowned for a flurry of compositions. Notable works include his famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565.

Unfortunately, the passionate Bach ran into numerous challenges: theological controversies and disagreements, an inadequate salary, and dissatisfaction with the musical environment. His resignation was accepted in June 1708 and he moved to Weimar. Despite the challenges, Bach maintained amicable relations with the musical community in Mühlhausen and composed works for the city.

Notable Works From the Period

One of St. Blasius’ pastors sensed that the great fire was a result of God’s judgment on the city and tasked Bach with composing a cantata (BWV 131) based on the text of Psalm 130.

Bach uses sparse instrumentation to represent the piety and depth of the text, Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir (Out of the depths have I cried unto thee). One violin, two violas, continuo and bass instruments, and one oboe and bassoon along with the choir and organ are used. The “depths” are symbolically represented by mysterious, low voices.

Another milestone in Bach’s career was when the city council footed the bill for publishing his Cantata No. 71, Gott ist mein König (God Is My King), BWV 71. This was Bach’s first official printed publication.

From the outset, in 1708, J.S. Bach’s job description was to be the organist at the court of Duke Wilhelm Ernst. During this period, he focused mostly on composing for the organ, and works such as the Prelude and Fugue in G major (BWV 541) stand as a testament to his genius.

Bach also came under the influence of Italian concerto masters, like Antonio Vivaldi at this time. He appropriated ideas and forms found in contemporary Italian opera — some of these ideas are apparent in his cantatas, e.g. No. 182 (Himmelskönig, sei willkommen—Heavenly King, Thou Art Welcome, BWV 182).

A series of events led to Bach’s departure from Weimar: he was passed over as musical director at Weimar and accepted a position at the court of Prince Leopold of Köthen. His departure from Weimar was contentious, to say the least. The duke did not want to relieve J.S. Bach of his duties and even jailed him for almost a month. Shortly after his release on December 2, 1716, Bach traveled about 30 miles (48 km) north of Halle to join the court at Köthen.

Notable Work From the Period

Bach also occasionally visited Weissenfels. He composed his first secular cantata, and it was performed in February 1713 during a court celebration. His cantata, Was mir behagt, also known as the Hunt Cantata (BWV208) received its premiere at the celebration. The cantata features solos by Diana, goddess of the hunt, recitatives by Endymion, and an aria by the god Pan. The hunting calls played by the horns are a typical feature of Baroque symbolism (skip to 00:41 to hear it).

At the court in Köthen, Bach was appointed as Kapellmeister (musical director) and focused on chamber and orchestral music. It was a period filled with creativity and major works: the Brandenburg Concerti (BWV 1046-1051), the Clavierbüchlein for W.F. Bach, the Inventions (BWV 772-786), and the first book of Das Wohltemperierte Klavier (The Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 846-869).

It was also a period of immense personal loss for Bach, who lost his second wife, Maria Barbara Bach, in 1720. A year later, he married Anna Magdalena Bach (Wilcke) in 1721. Despite fluctuating circumstances, this period saw some of J.S. Bach’s greatest secular output.

Unfortunately, changes in Prince Leopold’s life and circumstances drew him further away from his love of music and spending time with Bach. This led to Bach considering other employment and finally moving to his long layover in Leipzig until the end of his life.

Notable Works From the Period

J.S. Bach likely composed the set of six suites for unaccompanied cello (BWV 1007-1012) during his tenure at Köthen. Each offers an emotionally rich glimpse into the emotional world of the Baroque Period. Each suite consists of six movements creating musical “dialogues.” There is some debate that it could have been his wife Anna Magdalena Bach who composed them because they were copied in her hand.

Until the 20th century, these works were considered “mere studies,” and their brilliance was often overlooked. If you’re feeling adventurous, compare the original Bach compositions to Peter Gregson’s recomposed version — a true testament to metamodernism in music.

J.S. Bach finally settled in Leipzig due to several factors — his sons’ education and his feeling that the prince did not devote himself to music enough anymore.

It was a busy time overseeing performances at four churches and being involved in their musical activities. His compositions were featured at the Thomaskiche (Thomas Church) and Nikolaikirche (Nicolas Church), where he was also the conductor.

His first five years in Leipzig saw an average of one cantata per week. Often, his music contained word painting, a technique in which melodies are aligned with textual imagery and numerical symbolism. However, one must not look too deeply for connections or symbols that are not inherently or explicitly implied.

Bach’s duties also included nonmusical obligations at the Thomas Church. Here, tempers would flare up from time to time. Bach and the city authorities were often at odds when he complained about his rights and duties as the cantor (music director) at the church. Yet he continued to perform his duties with diligence.

In 1741, J.S. Bach traveled to Berlin for the first time. His secular cantata O holder Tag, erwünschte Zeit (O Lovely Day, O Hoped-For Time, BWV 210) was premiered at the wedding of Georg Ernst von Stahl. He had the opportunity to visit Berlin and Potsdam again in 1747, paying a visit to his son Emmanuel in the employ of Prince Frederick II (the Great) of Prussia. During this time, the prince challenged him with a theme, and J.S. Bach responded with the Musical Offering (BWV 1079).

J.S. Bach was also occupied with teaching pupils and examining organs during his time in Leipzig, composing for the churches and the royal court. Sadly, his last years were marked by illness and periods of blindness. He died of a stroke on July 28, 1750.

Despite his professional and personal challenges, he made significant contributions to music. It could be said that Bach almost single-handedly drove the Baroque Era, influencing generations of composers. Four of his sons also became well-known composers.

The Mass in B minor (BWV 232) is a towering cathedral of sound. The mass individual movements are from different periods in Bach’s tenure at Leipzig: the Sanctus dates to 1724 while the Kyrie and Gloria were composed for the electoral court of Saxony (1733). The Credo, in the middle of the work, was composed between 1748 and 1749. The Agnus Dei, according to Alfred Dürr’s research is reworked from two previous works: Entfernet euch, ihr kalten Herzen (Withdraw, You Cold Hearts) from a lost wedding serenade composed in 1725. It was reused in the alto aria “Ach, bleibe doch” in the 1735 Ascension Oratorio, Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen (BWV 11).

The Credo, added later in 1748-49, acts as the central piece, forming a symmetrical arch within the composition. The movements, in order, are Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei. Although the composition may seem haphazard, Bach masterfully and seamlessly integrated diverse styles into the work and blended them.

Finally, J.S. Bach’s transcription of Vivaldi’s Concerto in B minor, Op. 3 no. 10 is the only piece not based on his own musical ideas. It is a transcription of a concerto for four violins by Vivaldi. Bach made various alterations to the original by adding ornamentation, altering the rhythms in the last movement, and fleshing out the inner voices.